Ultimate Nyssa Glass H. Burke (bookstand for reading .txt) 📖

paper. Smoothing it out, he revealed one of her wanted posters, her face shown in detailed profile as well as face-forward. She bolted for the door. The manservant on the other side blocked her escape. He pushed forward, shutting the door behind him.

“You summoned security, Barabbas?” Blythe inquired.

The man nodded. “As per your orders.” A bronze knob, not much wider than a coin, protruded from his ear.

He’s in contact with Blythe somehow. Does tapping on the device in Blythe’s ear send signals? In Morse code? No, he didn’t tap it enough times to send any real message with that … maybe a code of their own devising.

“Good, then we shouldn’t have long to wait.” Blythe patted his pocket. “I have what I want. The girl will spend the rest of the trip in the brig, then when we reach port, she’ll be taken into custody and I can have Renard extradited.”

“And your niece?” Barabbas asked.

Blythe gave a dismissive wave. “Drag her back for the sake of appearances, maybe … but if she wants to strike out on her own, let her have at it. It’s no skin off my back if she starves in the streets.”

Nyssa’s teeth clenched. “Is the gem even yours?”

“Oh yes. I was honest about that detail. It’s a family heirloom, and while the provenance may be contested, like I said, possession is nine-tenths of the law. As you can see …” Blythe drew the ruby from his vest pocket and smiled. “I have it in my possession.”

Someone knocked on the door. At a nod from Blythe, Barabbas opened it to a pair of brawny airmen.

“You claim to have a captured a stowaway?” one asked.

Blythe pointed at Nyssa then held up the poster. “I saw her lurking about the decks and recognized her from this. I knew the captain would never allow a wanted criminal on board … I believe she’s in cabin 15, accompanied by two other people who I doubt are traveling on legitimate tickets.”

Two? Is it possible he doesn’t know about Ellis? He saw us together, but maybe he doesn’t realize we’re together-together.

“Cabin 15? We’ll look into it.”

The airman dragged Nyssa from the room. She didn’t resist. It wasn’t as if she had any place to run to, and if she played meek and mild, perhaps they wouldn’t think to look in her back pocket for her lockpicks.

They led her through the passenger areas. A small cabin lay behind a bolted door. Inside, two portholes cast dim light over what was essentially an iron cage with a bench, built so that one could walk all the way around it.

The first airman opened the door.

“Hey,” the second said. “Shouldn’t we search her first?” He smirked in a way Nyssa didn’t like at all.

The first scowled at his companion. “Not you. You’ll enjoy it too much.” He pulled Nyssa aside. “Sorry, Miss, but you sort of brought this on yourself.” He ran his hands over her body, swiftly and lightly, but Nyssa still flushed. He came away with her lockpicks and penknife. “Necessary, you see. Now, get in.”

Nyssa plunked down on the bench as the door clanged shut behind her. She could touch the far bars with her toes while sitting on the bench. She doubted they got many criminals on-board a luxury liner like this … or at least only criminals like Blythe who could pay to travel in style without being questioned and detained.

I should’ve found a way to hold onto the gem. It was my only leverage, and now it’s gone.

The leering airman left the room, but the more genteel fellow sat a few feet away in a wooden chair and began to read a periodical. A heavy-looking clock hung above his head. It was 3:14.Pi. Ellis would appreciate that.

She examined the room for anything that might help her escape. There was an old broom, mop, and bucket propped in one corner next to a water barrel and some supply boxes in another. I wonder what’s going on with Ellis, Amara, and Renard? Will they join me here? Ellis hasn’t technically done anything wrong. He paid for his ticket, even. She said a quick prayer for Ellis’s safety, trying to stare past the bars.I hate cages.

The last time she’d been behind bars, Mr. C had bailed her out, vouched for her, and given her a second chance. She couldn’t depend on that now. Escape was her responsibility.

Running her hands through her hair, she hit upon one of Amara’s cursed hair pins. Amara must’ve stuck two dozen into Nyssa’s hair when she styled it. Nyssa pushed it further in, hoping no one would notice it.

Time crawled. When the clock read 3:42, the door again opened and Leering-Airman entered.

Her guard peered over his magazine. “Did you investigate cabin 15?”

Leering-Airman shrugged. “Empty except for an invalid with a valid ticket and passport. The passenger manifest says he was traveling with a young lady, but apparently it was his fiancée, and she left him at the altar, so he took the trip alone. Sad story.”

Nyssa moved her hand over her mouth, uncertain if she could keep down a smile. Of course Ellis talked his way out of it. I wonder where Amara and Renard got to.

“Maybe the old man got the cabin number wrong.” The guard stood and stretched. “The young lady’s presence alone proves we have stowaway problems. What does the captain want to do about it?”

“Stem-to-stern search. Seems like a lot of trouble, though.” Leering-Airman stepped towards Nyssa’s cage, his leer returning. “Maybe I could interrogate her. Save us some time.”

Nyssa’s fists clenched.

“Back away from the girl, Morris. We aren’t savages.” Her guard scowled.

“Ah, Jepson. You’re no fun,” Morris said, but he turned his back to Nyssa again.

An alarm blared in the distance. The men jolted.

Morris opened the door and shouted out, “Hey, Bernard, what’s going on out there?”

“Someone stole the air-raft!” a voice shouted from the hall. “The Mercutio just launched.”

Chapter Eleven

Nyssa watched through the portholes as the sky